What's a Phase Linear Dual 500 worth.

  • Thread starter Thread starter lbanks
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lbanks

lbanks

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Hmmmm? I got one but I'm afraid to plug it in. This thing looks terrifying! 5 fuses???????????????? :eek:
 
Whoa, dude. That's like cloning a dinosaur. You bring back an ancient beast and have no idea how it's going to behave. :) I'd be scared, too.

Plug it in and turn it on with a stick. :D
 
I think I may try a Mythbusters' approach. Rig up some kind of remote triggering system(extention cords), behind a blastproof shield.
 
Be sure and turn it on first without a load on it. They dont call em 'flame-linears' without reason.
 
Connect the Piece of gear in series with a Light bulb, that should make it that if there are any Short curcuits or other simular problems with the Unit the Light bulb will Light up as opposed to the Fuses Frying or anything else Frying......

This is a Common thing done by DIY amp builders when first powering up a newly created Unit which helps prevent a catastrophic Failure .......


:D
 
Also, before you hook a speaker up to it, connect a DMM and check for AC or DC current on the speaker output. A few milli volts of offset is OK. But >30v kicking out would indicate a shorted output transistor.
 
lbanks said:
Hmmmm? I got one but I'm afraid to plug it in. This thing looks terrifying! 5 fuses???????????????? :eek:
Click to expand...

The standard practice is to power up with a variac. Start at 0VAC and slowly move up stopping at each voltage range for a few minutes. Shorts aside, you are re-forming any electrolytic caps that are in the power supply and amplifier. If you just slam it with 110vAC, you might just get a violent cap explosion. You might get lucky and it will be fine.
 
It's not worth anything if you don't plug it in...
 
Ya' know, I'm thinking of just cleaning it up and mounting in a rack for show. :eek:
 
lbanks said:
Ya' know, I'm thinking of just cleaning it up and mounting in a rack for show. :eek:
Click to expand...
Come on... put it in the middle of a field... hit the power switch... max the volume... walk 100 yards away to the end of the extension cord... and plug it in
 
cavedog101 said:
Be sure and turn it on first without a load on it. They dont call em 'flame-linears' without reason.
Click to expand...
Sounds like there ought to be some good lore behind that one. :) Share one or two?
 
MOFO Pro said:
Come on... put it in the middle of a field... hit the power switch... max the volume... walk 100 yards away to the end of the extension cord... and plug it in
Click to expand...
If I do, I'm vidin' it! :D
 
Those are tanks...weighs like 50 lbs...I was lucky enough to buy a 400a for $20 about 6 years ago...and it is still perfect...I wish I could find another.
 
Holy cow! That is a dinosaur. It actually weighs 70 lbs, so it may or may not ship for the standard rate, which is limited to 70lbs. exactly. Designed by the guy who later started the Carver Corp., it's last list price was a whopping $1600. My brother used to use one for a bass amp. If he hit the resonating frequency, he could blow out windows from a small room. That's a real man's solid state power amp. Hope it still works. It was the most powerful phase linear amp ever built.-Richie
 
That 400a of mine has power to go...I use it as a reference amp...and so does Alan Parsons...it will run any size monitor...and Ive done a 10,000 sq ft room using it as mains with a pair of SP1s.

15edds.jpg
 
They are sweet sounding amps. I had five of em in my med. sized PA back in the day....two of the 400's and one of the 700's went DC at various times....EVERY stinking time they got enough signal through the fuses before they blew to melt voice coils. The 700 created a flame of about 3 feet out of the sub cabinet it was hooked up to. The slag created by these little things can be quite spectacular. Changed EVERY one of em to either a David Hafler or a BGW. Kept a 400 for years as a nice stereo amp. One of the wives claimed it as a community property item........hmmmmm...

Love the tone. Hate the maintainence. Great for the home stereo though.

I've seen only a couple of those Dual 500's in my whole life. Probably not a lot of em ever built. The ones I did see in use were in a seriously bone crushing PA on the subs. Kik drum would make you ill.
 
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